Effect of alternative and complementary medicine on male infertility: An umbrella review
Authors
Maryam Fasanghari
Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
Afsaneh Keramat
Center for Health Related Social and Behavioral Sciences Research, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
Mojgan Tansaz
Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ashraf Moini
Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Arash Women's Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Teran, Iran
Reza Chaman
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
Keywords:
acupuncture, herbal medicine, male infertility, systematic review, traditional medicine
Abstract
Background and Aims
There is increasing interest worldwide in using alternative and complementary approaches for treating male infertility. This interest has spawned a multitude of published systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. The aim of this Umbrella review was to consolidate the available evidence regarding the effect of complementary and alternative medicine on male infertility to inform clinical decision‐making processes.
Methods
A comprehensive search was conducted to identify systematic reviews and meta‐analyses pertaining to the effects of complementary and alternative medicine on male infertility. This search encompassed various databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Proquest, Google Scholar, SID, EMBASE, Magiran, Cochrane Library, Iranmedex, ScienceDirect, SAGE. Subsequently, two researchers independently extracted the data from the selected meta‐analyses and systematic reviews, and evaluated their methodological quality using the assessment of multiple systematic reviews 2 (AMSTAR2).
Results
This analysis encompassed 11 studies, with four originating from Iran, two from Korea and five from China. The results regarding the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine are controversial, indicating a need for further research. The methodological quality of the systematic reviews and meta‐analyses appraised by AMSTAR 2 was rated as low or critically low. This assessment is attributed to inadequate examination of publication biases in the reviews and a lack of discussion regarding the effect of risk of bias.
Conclusion
The existing evidence regarding the effectiveness of alternative and complementary medicine in addressing male infertility is limited. Furthermore, the overall methodological quality of the published systematic reviews and meta‐analyses may have been underestimated as the use of AMSTAR2 appears to be a more precise appraisal instrument compared to its predecessor.
Keywords: acupuncture, herbal medicine, male infertility, systematic review, traditional medicine
Author Biography
Ashraf Moini, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Arash Women's Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Teran, Iran
Department of Endocrinology & Female Infertility at Reproduction, Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproduction ACER, Tehran, Iran
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